PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory https://www.paschoolfinder.com/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:28:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.10 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/cropped-ico-white-on-green-512-32x32.png PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory https://www.paschoolfinder.com/ 32 32 The Most Expensive PA Schools, Ranked by Tuition (Always-Current) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/the-most-expensive-pa-schools-ranked-by-tuition-always-current/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=14628 Every pre-PA applicant should know what the top of the market looks like — whether you’re budgeting, comparing offers, or deciding if a private program’s price tag is worth it. Here is every accredited PA program with published tuition, ranked most expensive first, straight from each program’s own cost page. Is an expensive program worth […]

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Every pre-PA applicant should know what the top of the market looks like — whether you’re budgeting, comparing offers, or deciding if a private program’s price tag is worth it. Here is every accredited PA program with published tuition, ranked most expensive first, straight from each program’s own cost page.


Is an expensive program worth it?

Sometimes — but never on prestige alone. Tuition does not predict PANCE performance, and every graduate sits for the same boards and earns the same credential. Before paying a premium, click into the program’s profile and check its pass rates, attrition, rotation sites, and location costs. A higher price is only worth it when it buys something you can name.

Figures are total resident program tuition; fees and cost of living come on top, and nonresident totals often differ. Programs that don’t publish a clear total are excluded rather than guessed.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

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PA Programs With Provisional Accreditation (Always-Current List) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/pa-programs-with-provisional-accreditation-status-in-2023/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=14552 As of 2023, there are approximately 80 PA programs with provisional accreditation status. These programs are linked below, listed on the ARC-PA website, and are subject to change.

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Brand-new PA programs open every year — and every one of them starts with the same ARC-PA status: Accreditation-Provisional. This page tracks every program currently holding provisional status, live from the ARC-PA via our verified directory, so you never have to wonder whether an older article’s list is still true.


What provisional accreditation means (and doesn’t)

Provisional is not probation. Accreditation-Provisional is the normal starting status the ARC-PA grants a new program that has demonstrated — before enrolling its first student — that its plans meet the accreditation standards. Graduates of provisionally accredited programs sit for the PANCE like everyone else. Probation, by contrast, is a warning status for established programs that have fallen out of compliance; we badge those loudly across this site.

Should you apply to a new PA program?

There are real advantages: early cohorts often face lighter applicant competition, newer facilities, and a genuine voice in shaping the program. There are real unknowns too — no PANCE pass-rate history (no data is not bad data, but it is a question mark), unproven rotation pipelines, and faculty teams still finding their rhythm. If you apply, ask pointed questions about clinical site contracts and faculty experience, and verify the program’s current status directly at arc-pa.org.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

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The Cheapest PA Schools, Ranked by Tuition (Always-Current) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/cheap/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13255 PA school is one of the best returns on investment in medicine — but the sticker price varies wildly from program to program, and the difference can add up to six figures for the same credential. If cost is a factor in your school list (it should be), start here: every accredited PA program with […]

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PA school is one of the best returns on investment in medicine — but the sticker price varies wildly from program to program, and the difference can add up to six figures for the same credential. If cost is a factor in your school list (it should be), start here: every accredited PA program with published tuition, ranked cheapest first.


What counts as “tuition” here

The figures above are each program’s total resident (in-state) program tuition, as published on its own cost page — not per-year rates, and not our estimates. Mandatory fees, equipment, and living costs come on top, and nonresident tuition often runs meaningfully higher (where a program publishes a different nonresident total, you’ll see it in the row). A public program that’s a bargain in-state can be mid-pack for out-of-state applicants, so always check the number that applies to you.

Cheap doesn’t mean lesser: several of the most affordable programs in the country post excellent PANCE pass rates. Click through to any program’s profile to weigh cost against outcomes before you decide.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

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PA Schools With No Supplemental Application (Always-Current List) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/pa-schools-no-supplemental-application/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13253 Application season is expensive and exhausting — and supplemental (secondary) applications are a big reason why. Each one is a school-specific form on top of CASPA, usually with its own essays, its own deadline, and its own fee. If you’re applying broadly on a budget or a tight timeline, it pays to know which schools […]

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Application season is expensive and exhausting — and supplemental (secondary) applications are a big reason why. Each one is a school-specific form on top of CASPA, usually with its own essays, its own deadline, and its own fee. If you’re applying broadly on a budget or a tight timeline, it pays to know which schools skip that step entirely: this page tracks every PA program with no supplemental application, live.


How to use this in your application strategy

No-supplemental programs are genuinely “one and done” — submit CASPA and you’re in the review pile, which makes them efficient additions to a broad school list. But don’t let the absence of a supplemental be the reason a school makes your list: fit, prerequisites, PCE requirements, and outcomes matter far more than one saved essay. And for schools that do require supplementals, budget time for them up front — many programs won’t review your file until the supplemental is in, so a late secondary quietly costs you your place in a rolling-admissions line.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

The post PA Schools With No Supplemental Application (Always-Current List) appeared first on PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory.

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PA Programs With Small Class Sizes (Always-Current List) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/pa-programs-with-small-class-sizes-less-than-50-students/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13249 Some students thrive in a lecture hall; others want faculty who know their name by week two. If you’re in the second camp, cohort size belongs on your school-list criteria. This page tracks every accredited PA program with an entering class under 50 students — smallest first, live from our verified directory. What class size […]

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Some students thrive in a lecture hall; others want faculty who know their name by week two. If you’re in the second camp, cohort size belongs on your school-list criteria. This page tracks every accredited PA program with an entering class under 50 students — smallest first, live from our verified directory.


What class size actually changes

Smaller cohorts tend to mean more faculty face time, tighter-knit classes, and less competition for the program’s best clinical rotation slots. Larger programs counter with broader alumni networks, more rotation sites, and often more established infrastructure. Neither is automatically better — but the day-to-day experience of PA school differs enormously between a cohort in the twenties and one over a hundred, so it’s worth knowing what you’re signing up for. If you can, talk to current students at both ends of the range.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

The post PA Programs With Small Class Sizes (Always-Current List) appeared first on PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory.

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PA Programs That Don’t Require Shadowing (Always-Current List) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/shadowing-not-required/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13246 Can’t find a PA to shadow? You’re in good company — shadowing opportunities dried up for many applicants in recent years, and plenty of hopeful PAs live hours from the nearest willing preceptor. The good news: many accredited PA programs don’t require shadowing at all, and this page tracks exactly which ones, live. Not required […]

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Can’t find a PA to shadow? You’re in good company — shadowing opportunities dried up for many applicants in recent years, and plenty of hopeful PAs live hours from the nearest willing preceptor. The good news: many accredited PA programs don’t require shadowing at all, and this page tracks exactly which ones, live.


Not required still doesn’t mean worthless

Even where it isn’t required, shadowing remains one of the best ways to confirm this career is right for you — and to say so convincingly in your personal statement and interviews. If you can get even a day or two alongside a PA, take it. If you truly can’t, programs on this list won’t hold it against you; strong patient care experience and a clear-eyed understanding of the PA role can carry that weight.

One distinction that trips up more applicants than almost anything: shadowing is not patient care experience (PCE). Shadowing is observation; PCE is hands-on care you’re paid or credentialed to provide. Programs count them separately, and no amount of shadowing substitutes for required PCE hours.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

The post PA Programs That Don’t Require Shadowing (Always-Current List) appeared first on PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory.

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PA Schools With GPA Minimums Below 3.0 (Always-Current List) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/low-gpa/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13234 A rough semester doesn’t have to end your PA dream. While most programs set their minimum overall GPA at 3.0, a number of accredited programs will consider applicants below that line — and this page tracks exactly which ones, live: every PA program whose stated minimum cumulative GPA is below 3.0. What a “minimum” really […]

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A rough semester doesn’t have to end your PA dream. While most programs set their minimum overall GPA at 3.0, a number of accredited programs will consider applicants below that line — and this page tracks exactly which ones, live: every PA program whose stated minimum cumulative GPA is below 3.0.


What a “minimum” really means

A minimum GPA is the floor to be reviewed, not the number that gets you accepted — where programs publish it, the accepted class’s average GPA runs well above the stated cutoff. If your GPA is below 3.0, these programs keep your file in the pile, but the rest of your application (patient care hours, science GPA trend, personal statement, letters) has to carry more weight.

Two honest caveats: programs that don’t state a minimum are not listed here, because “unstated” doesn’t mean “low” — and holistic-review programs may still screen informally. An upward grade trend and strong recent science coursework matter enormously to programs that read files holistically; many weigh your last credit hours more heavily than your overall number.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

The post PA Schools With GPA Minimums Below 3.0 (Always-Current List) appeared first on PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory.

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PA Programs That Require the PA-CAT (Always-Current List) https://www.paschoolfinder.com/10-physician-assistant-programs-that-require-the-pa-cat/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:03:18 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13011 The PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test) is a specialized entrance exam a small group of PA programs use to evaluate applicants’ science readiness. Most programs don’t require it — but if a school on your list does, you need to know early, because the exam has its own registration windows, fees, and prep timeline. […]

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The PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test) is a specialized entrance exam a small group of PA programs use to evaluate applicants’ science readiness. Most programs don’t require it — but if a school on your list does, you need to know early, because the exam has its own registration windows, fees, and prep timeline. This page tracks every PA program that currently requires the PA-CAT, live.


How to plan for the PA-CAT

Treat it like a second, smaller MCAT-style commitment: check each program’s admissions page for score deadlines relative to their CASPA deadline, give yourself a dedicated study window focused on anatomy, physiology, and the core prerequisite sciences, and confirm score-reporting logistics before you register. If none of your target schools require it, you can safely skip it — an unrequested score won’t rescue an application.

This list updates itself

Most “cheapest/best/lowest” PA school posts were true the day they were written and quietly wrong a year later. This one is different: the list above is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time the page loads. Program details are verified from each program’s own official pages and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so the rankings, counts, and figures you see are current as of today, not the day this post was published.

Build your full school list

One data point never makes a school list. Combine this with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI for a free competitiveness score and a personalized read on where you stand.

The post PA Programs That Require the PA-CAT (Always-Current List) appeared first on PA School Finder: Physician Assistant Program Directory.

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The Evergreen List of PA Programs That Don’t Require the GRE https://www.paschoolfinder.com/pa-programs-that-dont-require-the-gre/ https://www.paschoolfinder.com/pa-programs-that-dont-require-the-gre/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:16:40 +0000 http://paschoolfinder.com/?p=10499 Looking to avoid GRE prep on your path to PA school? You’re not alone — and you have plenty of company on the admissions side too: most U.S. physician assistant programs no longer require the GRE, and more drop it every cycle. That’s exactly why a dated, copy-pasted list can quietly steer you wrong. This […]

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Looking to avoid GRE prep on your path to PA school? You’re not alone — and you have plenty of company on the admissions side too: most U.S. physician assistant programs no longer require the GRE, and more drop it every cycle.

That’s exactly why a dated, copy-pasted list can quietly steer you wrong. This one can’t go stale: the list below is generated live from the PA School Finder directory every time this page loads. Each program’s GRE policy is verified from its own admissions page and CASPA, and accreditation status is checked against the ARC-PA weekly — so what you see here is what’s true today, not what was true when a blog post was written.

Don't require the GRE
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PA Programs That Don't Require the GRE

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GRE policies verified from each program's official admissions page & CASPA, via the PA School Finder directory.

How to use this list

Click any program to open its full PA School Finder profile — minimum GPA, patient care hour requirements, prerequisites, tuition, PANCE pass rates, deadlines, and a “What This Program Looks For in Applicants” summary. A few honest notes as you browse:

“Not required” doesn’t always mean “ignored.” A handful of programs that don’t require the GRE will still review a strong score if you submit one. If your score is excellent, it can occasionally help; if it’s not, no-GRE programs let you leave it off entirely — that’s the point.

A few programs don’t clearly state their policy. We list those separately above rather than guessing — verify directly with the program before you decide to skip the test. And policies do change mid-cycle occasionally, so always confirm on the program’s own admissions page before finalizing your school list.

Build your school list around more than the GRE

The GRE is one filter of many. To combine it with state, GPA, patient care hours, deadlines, tuition, and PANCE pass rates, try the free PA Program Match tool — or paste your stats into PA Program Match AI to get a free competitiveness score and see exactly which programs fit your profile.

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PA Programs with a 100% 5-Year PANCE Pass Rate https://www.paschoolfinder.com/pance-100-percent/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 07:00:15 +0000 https://www.paschoolfinder.com/?p=13258 When deciding which PA school to attend, PANCE pass rates often enter the discussion. Although five-year PANCE pass rates can reflect well on a PA program, they should not be the most important part of your PA school decision matrix. Many factors can affect a PA program’s PANCE pass rate. A few years of lower […]

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When deciding which PA school to attend, PANCE pass rates often enter the discussion.

Although five-year PANCE pass rates can reflect well on a PA program, they should not be the most important part of your PA school decision matrix.

Many factors can affect a PA program’s PANCE pass rate. A few years of lower PANCE results can negatively affect the reported five-year rate without necessarily representing the overall strength of the program, its faculty, or its students.

Since 1998, U.S. News has published the only widely recognized ranking of PA programs based on subjective peer-assessment surveys completed by PA program faculty. This ranking system has several limitations. U.S. News also ranks only about 64% of PA programs, leaving many excellent schools out of the rankings.

With that context in mind, here are the PA programs reporting a 100% five-year PANCE pass rate.

Keep in mind: A 100% five-year PANCE pass rate is impressive, but it is only one factor to consider. It should not be the be-all and end-all when deciding which PA programs to apply to or attend.

Physician Assistant Programs With a 100% Five-Year PANCE Pass Rate

PA Program State Accreditation Five-Year PANCE First-Time PANCE
Clarkson University New York Continued 100% 100%
Creighton University–Omaha Nebraska Continued 100% 100%
Dominican University of California California Continued 100% 93%
St. Ambrose University Iowa Continued 100% 93%
Touro University–Long Island New York Continued 100% 100%
Touro University–Middletown New York Provisional 100% 100%
Trevecca Nazarene University Tennessee Probation 100% 100%
University of Lynchburg Virginia Continued 100% 97%
University of Saint Joseph Connecticut Continued 100% 100%
Yeshiva University New York Probation 100% 91%

Accreditation statuses and PANCE results can change. Confirm the latest information with each program and the appropriate accrediting or certifying organization before applying.

Compare More PA Programs by PANCE Pass Rate

Explore our comprehensive breakdown of PA programs sorted by PANCE pass rate, including all PA programs with five-year PANCE pass rates above 95%.

For a closer look at how PA programs are ranked in the United States, read PA School Rankings by PANCE Pass Rates on The PA Life.

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